The Queens of Tarot: Body Talks

by Tilly Tarot

Such an essential part of the reading is to read the body language of the individual pictured in the card. I read with the Classic Tarot and so only the Major Arcana and the court cards depict people. I would like to discuss the Queens in the deck and how they really do show such particular body language in their stance.

The 'fiery red head' Queen of Wands always makes me feel a little wary but gives me the feeling she is truly empowered by her position. Holding a large Wand, crowned with gold she sits upright and is sure of herself. With her long red hair flowing and wavy down her back she is confident and is not worried about the opinion of others. She is the only one who wears such bright pink and coupled with her necklace encrusted with jewels, she is one who ones really demands attention. Looking directly at us, sitting up straight and with her legs relaxed showing comfort, yet commanding our gaze she is red in the face and defined as the 'friend'. You could almost imagine she is about to laugh! I believe she knows how to enjoy herself and let her hair down but evidently commands and instructs people with great determination and confidence. Finally she is the only Queen facing to the right and she obviously likes to do things differently to others by not following the normal set of rules.

With the Queen of Cups, on the other hand, very relaxed and looking almost drained she has less energy and is paler than the previous Queen. Maybe it is because she is holding such a large heavy Cup and as the 'lover' of the four Queens, she feels love isn't going so well for her. I read this card in so many ways for many different people and to me she is hardly touching the Cup, it is balanced gracefully on her knee and although it is huge, it is not a burden, she is comfortable with it and it shows contentment in her life. She also holds, what seems to be, a sphere. This sphere represents, I believe, her backup. It foretells the future for her, which is why she is such a great guide on all love issues.

When someone receives her they may be guided by her in anyway she sees fit at the time. The message she delivers to me could be one of 'you are on the right path with this man' or dramatically the opposite. She is a lady that, much like the Queen of Wands, can be very kind and helpful, but will tell you the truth. Similar to the sign of Gemini, the astrological sign, she is both a great lover and companion but gets down to hard business when need be. In terms of her body language she has no initial barriers up. She is easy to approach and speak your mind to. With one eyebrow up on the right she is already assessing your personality when you approach her within the first three seconds. First impressions count with this lady and with almost grey hair, she has heard many stories and guided many individuals. You can trust her and although she may seem a little frail, she is stronger than you judge.

The Queen of Swords on the other hand is the complete reverse to the first two Queens. Holding one hand to her chest, in a shy and youthful way, she has been through some tough times and does not wish to have negative energy around her any longer. The Sword she holds, to me, looks as if it was passed down to her. She doesn't seem sure of it but knows it will come in useful and help guide her. She has mastered it nevertheless and has become very protective of it in recent years. Her high-back chair sends us another sentiment that she is guarding from being stabbed in the back and the child on her chair symbolises the past and when times were 'happy'.

As the 'widow' she needs a lot of encouragement, reassurance and comfort. With her royal fur draped over her lap she has only artificial comfort now and with her eyes large and her cheeks so red she is wary of every person that approaches her. Her Sword is now the burden that plagues her and there is even an armrest where she can rest the heavy object. But also, the Sword is hers to guard now and as a younger looking Queen, we can see she is proud to be sitting where she is. Her knee is up at the front also guarding her from outside influences and public.

The final Queen of Pentacles is the only one not staring directly into our eyes at this time. She is almost showing her citizens the wealth she has accumulated for them. She sits up straight, but not forced as with the Queen of Wands. She is at the end of her journey and has accomplished what she set out for. As the heiress she has earned her place at this point and has gained so much respect from others. Her knees are level and with gold coloured shoes, different from the rest she has made her final move and wears a red ring to publicise her marriage. I always envisage marriage with this card or the accumulation of what 'one' may call wealth. If for some this is money, then so be it… but for others and many others including myself it is self assurance that we are on the right path in life to bring us the most happiness and fulfilment we can have. We all deserve to be the heiress and can all be this lady if we follow the road to where our intuition takes us.

Tilly Tarot is a self-taught Tarot Card Reader, freelance writer, and aspiring author. She has been reading Tarot Cards for over twenty years for friends and family, and also performs personal readings by email and live online.